First Posting (6 days before operation)

I wanted to start this Blog well before my surgery date. However, due to moving from Michigan to Florida I really haven't had the time to sit down and think let alone type out anything.

So lets play a little catch up.

I started a journey to lose weight. To help me on the path to being fit, I chose to have Lap-Band surgery. The idea of having a weight loss surgery actually started with my doctor and trying to do something about my acid reflux. My doctor went over numerous surgeries before suggesting the Lap-Band. I also suffer from sleep apnea (weight related), and he thought we could kill 2 birds with one stone. So in January I went to Hurley Bariatrics to consult the surgeon. He agreed this is a good option to both fix my reflux and sleep apnea. Top that with the ability to get back down to a healthy weight and it was a no-brainer.

The following months were filled with numerous tests. Many records being shuffled through my current doctor, past doctors, and the Hurley surgeon's office. I had to take a psyc evaluation and show that I tried to lose weight for my insurance to cover it. Finally, by the end of May, my tests were done, my insurance approved, and Hurley set a surgery date of June 23rd. Which brings me into the present.

Last Monday, after coming home from a family vacation in Florida I started my "Pre-op" diet. The diet will have to be followed two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. I have some variety in the "stuff" I ordered but its practically the same thing every day.

Here's a list of what I get to eat for 4 weeks:

Shakes - Vanilla, Chocolate, Mocha. They come in packets and I mix them with skim milk. Kinda like Slim Fast shakes.

Soups - Chicken, Cream of chicken, Tomato. Also, in packets. Mix with hot water, makes 8oz.

Juice - Lemonade, Orange. Packets mixed with 8oz of water. Orange tastes like Tang.

Fiber Juice or Jello - Mixed fruit juice packet or Cherry sugar free Jello. Both are pretty good.

My meals look like this every day:

Breakfast - Shake2 hours later - Orange Juice

Lunch - Shake2 hours later - Jello

Dinner - Soup, shake

All day I drink water